It’s no secret that at Simpson University people are upset about the recent cutbacks. It has even gone so far that it is being argued that Simpson administration are making purely money-making decisions and losing sight of our mission and our faith in God. Well I would like to nip those thoughts in the bud and set some things straight, at least from my point of view.

First, my loyalty to Simpson University is strong and alive and I am ready to fight for my alma mater. I have always been taken care of from being a student to being employed and working with the most patient and encouraging people I could imagine. Simpson is by no means perfect, mistakes will happen even if everyone does their job correctly and unfortunately that is not always the case, because we are imperfect people. It is important to remember that many many factors go into managing a university and every organization has their faults. So I would like everyone to remember that before they start to talk down my university. I know for a fact that every person employed at Simpson University works tirelessly and sacrificially to ensure that the students are truly in a “Christ-centered learning community.”

So now that I have made it clear that I am proud to be a Simpson Alumni through and through, here is the real problem I have with the “money-making” statements I have been hearing. Our nursing program has been thriving! Bringing in a huge percentage of our students, closely followed by psychology, communication and business. And unfortunately attendance is going down in the theology and mission programs. In response to the numbers and a need to cut back, our Bible and Theology department had to take a hit. Side note: every department had to make cutbacks in ratio to the students in those programs. Not to mention the staff also had to downsize. Because of these unfortunate circumstances and because of success of our nursing program and adding jobs to that program, people across the board have been criticizing our president and our administrators' decisions. Voicing their opinions about how we have moved from our mission and are only focusing on making money. Please stop being so narrow minded!

See the big picture. You say “we are a Christian university, that last thing we should cut is our Bible classes.” Well I say, we are not a Bible College, that was a long time ago. We are a University with a mission to provide a “Christ-centered learning community.” Are you saying that can only be done through Bible classes? Are you saying that I can’t apply Christ to my working in Nursing or Business? Are you saying that I can’t be a missionary for Jesus Christ through my everyday job? Are you saying that only those people who go across the ocean to 3rd world countries can be considered missionaries and are the only ones serving God and changing the world? Are you saying, because we down sized a few majors, God is no longer the center of what we do?

I want to end the myth that seems to have crept into our society; What you study, what your job is, or even how much or little you get paid disqualifies you from having a Christ-centered life and being a vessel for God. Missionaries are not only those people who raise money and travel across the sea. They are anyone who is living a life for God and are not afraid to share that life with others. You, me, anyone can be a missionary doing what they do best. I majored in Business and Accounting, you know those “money-making” majors. So I must only care about making money and living a cushy life. Well news flash: I care about doing what I do best and what God has called me to do and if that means I will have a good paying job, then I pray that God will lead me to spend the money wisely. If God called me to save people’s lives as a nurse, then I don’t want to be looked down upon because I didn’t choose to study the Bible every second of the day. And if God called me to stay in the United States and serve the people, who by the way are just as in need of God’s love as anywhere else, then my work shouldn’t be considered any less important than the work being done in Africa or Asia or India.

The moral of the story is that Simpson University is here to help students lead a life with God at the core in whatever they do, that includes any major that people feel is their calling. Yes, it is very sad that attendance in the Bible and theology programs have gone down. And it is especially sad that cutbacks across the campus had to be made. But please, do not say that our administration has lost sight of our mission or that God is no longer the focus. Very hard decisions had to be made, maybe even the wrong decisions were made, but do not for one second think that the people making those decisions don’t care. Or think that they are in it for the money or just to raise attendance numbers. We are a “Gateway to World Service” because we are sending students out into the real world with a Christ-centered education that does not limit us to only teaching the Bible or serving the poor. But with the experience and education to change how we do business, to witness to the dying and heck maybe even make an impact in our government. Simpson has taught me that in anything I do, to make God the core of it and that will show God’s love and persistence than being able to recite the 10 commandments ever will.

Motto: Gateway to World Service

Mission: Simpson University is a Christ-centered learning community committed to developing each student in mind, faith, and character for a lifetime of meaningful work and service in a constantly changing world